I would like to have your views on individualism: what it means, how it shows, and where it comes from. Is it a virtue to be emulated or a vice to be shunned? Is it a healthy trait, or a malady? How does it affect relationships in faith-based communities and/or families? Your responses and contributions of supporting sources will be highly appreciated.
Is individualism a vice or a virtue?
There are strengths & weaknesses in both individualism & collectivism and their subscription / practice are depending on different people / countries' culture. Think either extreme is not optimal. Personally I don't see individualism as vice or virtue but rather a range of right mix. Each person is unique & have his / her own preferences, likes / dislikes that individualism can offer some flexibility, freedom of choice, privacy etc. But when a person becomes too individualistic like "me first in everything" mindset, selfish, not willing to share etc. should be shunned.
Hello Rose Uchem,
The individualism/ collectivism cleavage has certainly a very long history and represents sociopolitical and cultural tendencies of different communities. Although individualism is often favored because it endorses and approves freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control, it seems to be contradictory in certain modes of application. It is generally agreed today that people who live in an individualistic cultures and have powerful individualistic values and beliefs often possess and experience smaller social support networks, lower emotional competence, inability in seeking help from others, and sometimes poorer mental health. As an illustration, widespread norms dominating all aspects of life in individualistic societies like America can paradoxically force individuals to lose bits and pieces of their personalities and varying cultural backgrounds because lack of conformity to domineering norms have a great bearing on both social and financial success of individuals. On this basis, the discordance existing between the real and ideal individualism has resulted in a conflict influencing the interplay between a free society and the individual rights tearing apart the fundamental civic rights of the people.
Best regards,
R. Biria
First we have to understand what is a virtue and a vice.
Opatha, & Teong, (2014) point out that a virtue is a good habit and a good attribute that is useful for a person him/herself and other persons. According to them possession of virtues contributes to a good personal character, which leads to good personal quality. Good qualities or habits which do not harm a person are virtues. Solomon (1999) states that virtue is an essential aspect of an individual. Solomon (1999) further states that the concept of virtues provides the conceptual linkage between an individual and his/her society.
Opatha (2010) states that vice is a bad attribute that is harmful for a person himself and other persons.
Individualism is a habit or principle of being independent. One can be independent and practice activities that do not harm him/her and others. Then only it becomes a virtue.
References
Solomon, R.C. (1999), A better way to think about business, New York: Oxford University Press.
Opatha, H.H.D.N.P (2010), Personal Quality, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Opatha, H. H.D.N.P., and Teong, L. K., (2014). Enhancing your personal Q. Sintok; Universiti Utara Malaysia, UUM Press.
Being morally virtuous (as Aristotle explains it) involves having a disposition to behave in the right manner and at the mean between extremes of deficiency and excess, which are vices. In that sense, individualism per se is neither a vice nor a virtue. However, acting individualistically may be either vicious or virtuous, depending on one's motives and particular circumstances.
In the simplest sense, individualism tends to be a strengthening virtue when the autonomous beings cooperate, and a weakening vice when they do not.
It's a consequence of competitiveness imposed by the neoliberal politics
Any functional form of individualism (non-pathological) is as strong and as viable as the social order/set of relationships that gives rise to it in the first place. Humans are primarily and fundamentally social beings; individualism is possible in societies that recognize the benefits of allowing persons greater ranges of choices and decision making capacities.
You have to stand out, without individualism there is no creativity and development without collectivism there is no cooperation. We will not melt in the crowd, nor will we achieve anything by ourselves. Development eg intellectual is a dialogue over the centuries.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Philosophy
- Ethics